What We Believe

There are biblical teachings (doctrines) that individuals must believe to be considered a follower of Jesus Christ. There are also spiritual issues that each local congregation adheres to that are unique and significant. If you are not sure you know the doctrines specific to our congregation and ones essential to Christianity in general, you can learn them now.

The Triune God

There is one Triune God, eternally existing in three equally divine Persons––Father, Son, and Holy Spirit; co–eternal in being, co–eternal in nature, co–equal in power and glory, having the same attributes and perfections (Deut. 6:4; Matt. 3:16-17; Acts 20:28; 2 Cor. 13:13).

God the Father

God as Father reigns with providential care over His universe, His creatures, and the flow of the stream of human history according to the purposes of His grace. He is all powerful, all knowing, all loving, and all wise. God is Father in truth to those who become children of God through faith in Jesus Christ. He is fatherly in His attitude toward all men (Genesis 1:1; 2:7; Exodus 3:14; 6:2-3; 15:11; 20:1; Leviticus 22:2; Deuteronomy 6:4; 32:6; 1 Chronicles 29:10; Psalm 19:1-3; Isaiah 43:3,15; 64:8; Jeremiah 10:10; 17:13; Matthew 6:9; 7:11; 23:9; 28:19; Mark 1:9-11; John 4:24; 5:26; 14:6-13; 17:1-8; Acts 1:7; Romans 8:14-15; 1 Corinthians 8:6; Galatians 4:6; Ephesians 4:6; Colossians 1:15; 1 Timothy 1:17; Hebrews 11:6; 12:9; 1 Peter 1:17; 1 John 5:7).

God the Son

The Lord Jesus Christ, the eternal Son of God, became man without ceasing to be God, having been conceived by the Holy Spirit, and born of the Virgin Mary, in order that He might reveal God and redeem sinful man (John 1:1, 2, 14; Luke 1:35). The Lord Jesus Christ accomplished our redemption through His death on the cross as a representative, vicarious, substitutionary sacrifice, and that our justification is made sure by His literal, physical resurrection from the dead (Rom. 3:24; 1 Peter 2:24; Eph. 1:7; 1 Peter 1:3–5). The Lord Jesus Christ ascended into heaven and is now exalted at the right hand of God, where, as our High Priest, he fulfills the ministry as Representative, Intercessor, and Advocate (Acts 1:9, 10; Heb. 7:25, 9:24; Rom. 8:34; 1 John 2:1–2).

God the Holy Spirit

The Holy Spirit is a Person who convicts the world of sin, of righteousness, and of judgment; and is the Supernatural Agent in regeneration, baptizing all believers into the body of Christ, indwelling and sealing them unto the day of redemption. (John 16:8–11; 2 Cor. 3:6; 1 Cor.12:12–14; Rom. 8:9; Eph. 5:18)

The Scriptures

The Holy Scriptures of the sixty-six canonical manuscripts (books) of the Old and New Testament are the verbally inspired word of God, the final authority for faith and life, inerrant in the original writings, infallible and God–breathed (2 Tim. 3:16, 17; 2 Peter 1:20, 21; Matt. 5:18; John 16:12,13).

Man

Man was created in the image and likeness of God. God created them as male and female. In the beginning man was innocent of sin and was given freedom of choice. By free choice man sinned against God and through man’s sin the human race fell, inherited a sinful nature, and became alienated from God. Man is totally depraved and of himself utterly unable to remedy his lost condition (Gen. 1:26-30; 18-22; 3:1-24; Rom. 3:22, 23, 5:12; Eph. 2:1-3, 12).

Salvation

Salvation is the gift of God brought to man by grace and received by personal faith in the Lord Jesus Christ, whose precious blood was shed for the forgiveness of our sins (Eph. 1:7, 2:8–10; John 1:12; 1 Peter 1:18–19).

Eternal Security and Assurance

All the redeemed, once saved, are kept by God’s power and are thus secure in Christ forever (John 6:37–40, 10:27–30; Rom. 8:1, 38, 39; 1 Cor. 1:4–8; 1 Peter 1:5). It is the privilege of believers to rejoice in the assurance of their salvation through the testimony of God’s Word which clearly forbids the use of Christian liberty as an occasion to the flesh (Rom. 13:13, 14; Gal. 5:13; Titus 2:11–15).

The Church

The church, which is the body and espoused bride of Christ, is a spiritual organism made up of all born–again persons (Eph. 1:22, 23; 5:25–27; 1 Cor. 12:12–14; 2 Cor.11:2). The establishment and continuance of local churches is clearly taught and defined in the New Testament Scriptures (Acts 14:27, 18:22, 20:17; 1 Tim. 3:1–3; Titus 1:5–11). Local churches are autonomous, free of any external authority and control (Acts 13:1–4, 15:19–31, 20:28; Rom. 16:1, 4; 1 Cor. 3:9, 16; 5: 4–7, 13; 1 Peter 5:1–4). We recognize believer’s baptism and the Lord’s supper as scriptural means of testimony for the church (Matt. 28:19, 20; Acts 2:41, 42; 18:8; 1 Cor. 11:23–26).

The Ministry and Spiritual Gifts

God is sovereign in the bestowing of spiritual gifts. It is, however, the believer’s responsibility to attempt to develop their sovereignly given spiritual gift(s). The baptism of the Holy Spirit occurs at conversion and is the placing of the believer into the Body of Christ. We also believe that particular spiritual gift(s) are neither essential, nor do they prove the presence of the Holy Spirit, nor are an indication of deep spiritual experience (1 Cor. 12:7, 11, 13; Eph. 4:7–8). We believe that God does hear and answer the prayer of faith, in accordance with His own will, for the sick and afflicted (John 15:7; 1 John 5:14, 15). We believe that it is the privilege and responsibility of every believer to minister according to the gift(s) and grace of God that is given to him (Rom 12:1–8; 1 Cor. 13; 1 Peter 4:10–11).

The Kingdom and Restoration

The Kingdom of God includes both His general sovereignty over the universe and His particular kingship over men who willfully acknowledge Him as King. Particularly the Kingdom is the realm of salvation into which men enter by trustful, childlike commitment to Jesus Christ. The full consummation of the Kingdom awaits the return of Jesus Christ, end of this age, and the bodily resurrection for everyone, to either eternal salvation or condemnation (Genesis 1:1; Isaiah 9:6-7; Jeremiah 23:5-6; Matthew 3:2; 4:8-10,23; 12:25-28; 13:1-52; 25:31-46; 26:29; Mark 1:14-15; 9:1; Luke 4:43; 8:1; 9:2; 12:31-32; 17:20-21; 23:42; John 3:3; 18:36; Acts 1:6-7; 17:22-31; Romans 5:17; 8:19; 1 Corinthians 15:24-28; Colossians 1:13; Hebrews 11:10,16; 12:28; 1 Peter 2:4-10; 4:13; Revelation 1:6,9; 5:10; 11:15; 21-22).